“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.” (2 Cor. 5:17-18 NLT)

Reconciling people to Him, as God “has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor. 5:18b NKJV)

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says reconciliation is an exchange, “a change on the part of one party, induced by an action on the part of another.”

The ministry of reconciliation! Katallagee. Restoration to divine favor, restoring the breach. Matthew Henry said that God “put himself into a capacity of being actually reconciled to offenders.” To put things right, not just between God and us, but between us and men.

Offenders. Us!

But are we still offending?

If we are reconciled, new creations, how then do we offend God? Others? What is our behavior? What do we say to others that makes them…and Him…weep? What do we do that makes Him shake His head at us? What are we doing to offend the blood of the cross?

Sin no more. No more spewing lies or name-calling. No more hurtful words to cut another down. No more meanness and nastiness. No more hate.

“As I have had compassion on you, now have…”

“compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For ‘He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’” (1 Peter 3:8-12 NKJV)